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Things You Need To Do Before and After You Get Stuck in Your Car During a Snowstorm

Climate change makes the weather a lot less predictable. This usually means winter brings blizzards, heavy snow, and sometimes even tornados. Black ice and snow make car travel difficult, and from time to time the traffic grinds to a halt. It can be for hours, but it sometimes can take days before the roads are cleared. In this case, you need to prepare for the likelihood of being stuck in the snow. You also need to know what to do to stay alive until the rescue teams arrive.
Cars stuck in the snow on I-95 in Virginia 9 photos
Photo: Wild WeatherUS via Youtube
Winter trafficWinter tires on snowy roadSnow chainsWinter Survival 101: How to properly winterize your carWinter Survival 101: How to properly winterize your carWinter Survival 101: How to properly winterize your carWinter Survival 101: How to properly winterize your carWinter Survival 101: How to properly winterize your car
Hundreds of vehicles were stuck for hours in a snowstorm on the I-95 in Virginia recently, showing you can never rule out mother nature going crazy during your daily commute. This is why the best way to fight the elements is by being prepared when you hit the road. This means having the right tools, provisions, and equipment with you, not written on your shopping list. This will help you stay warm, hydrated, and eventually alive by the time the rescuers get to you.

Make sure your car is prepared as well before going on a trip in winter conditions. Good maintenance will prevent it from breaking down on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. A working vehicle is an incredible life-support device. It will help you keep warm, it will power your phone so that you can contact the emergency services, and it will allow you to rest and not waste your energy. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Make sure you ride on winter tires, fill up the gas tank before you go, and make sure your phone has a full battery too.

Winter Survival 101\: How to properly winterize your car
Photo: Pixabay.com
A car can help you a lot during the storm, but you may find yourself in situations when your engine is not running. Sometimes it’s because the battery is dead or the fuel ran out, and sometimes it’s because the snow is so high that the exhaust gases can’t find the way out and you risk carbon monoxide poisoning.

You should always carry an emergency kit in your trunk for these situations. This should at least contain warm clothes, blankets, a first-aid kit, a shovel, jumper cables, food, and water. Go crazy if you have enough space, and add sleeping bags, a bag of sand, flares, and anything you think you might need in the cold.

Once you find yourself trapped in the snow, the most important thing you need to do is not panic. There’s little you can do wrong as long as you don’t leave your vehicle. Remember, it is a survival shelter. As long as you stay inside your car you will most probably be safe. It doesn’t help to get away from it in a storm. You will most certainly get lost or freeze to death. Your vehicle will also act as a beacon for the response teams as you will be much harder to find if you get lost in the snow.

Somehow, make sure your tailpipe is not covered with snow. The exhaust gases need to disperse, otherwise, they’ll get inside the cabin and you will die of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you are stuck in an electric vehicle you don’t need to worry about that. Lower the climate control temperature to conserve your battery. A full battery will keep you warm for up to 60 hours if you’re paying attention.

Winter Survival 101\: How to properly winterize your car
Photo: Pixabay.com
Wear as many layers of clothes as you can (this is what you took those warm clothes for in the first place). Remember to cover your head with a hat too, this is where your body loses the most heat. Cover yourself in blankets if you have them with you. Stick together to keep each other warm when you’re not alone.

To conserve your fuel run the engine for ten minutes every hour. Make sure you turn everything off when you stop the engine to avoid battery drain. Resist playing on your phone while waiting. Keep the phone battery charged to call emergency numbers.

Last and most importantly, don’t fall asleep inside a vehicle, especially not when the engine is running. Remember, carbon monoxide is the biggest danger, besides the cold.

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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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